Effexor can manage depression that a new study shows may be contagious

Depression patients may be able to spread the mental condition to others, a new study indicates. Scientists at the University of Notre Dame conducted an experiment that showed college students were able to pass depression onto their roommates.

The study included 108 pairs of college freshman - 42 male pairs and 66 female pairs - from an unnamed university in the Midwest. All participants in the study were roommates that were randomly selected and lived in on-campus housing. 

The researchers chose to analyze collegiate students because they believed the connections established upon entering college reflected random normal social interactions. Also, the age group that most higher-education pupils fall into is the most susceptible to depression. 

Doctors analyzed the cognitive levels, or ways of thinking, of the subjects and found that many acquired cognitive features similar to their roommates after just three months. Subjects that exchanged cognitive features showcased nearly twice the level of depressive symptoms after six months. 

"Although it is difficult to fathom the idea of people suddenly 'catching' a different style of interpreting their world, the current study demonstrates that people's cognitive vulnerability can affect the cognitive vulnerability of those around them," according to the study authors.

The results of this study suggest that individuals may be at risk of depression if those around them have the condition. Therefore, helping a loved one combat depression could prevent the illness from spreading. 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, offering emotional support to depressed people can help them better control depressive symptoms. Also, the source recommends inviting them to social outings and to continue even if they decline.

If able to do so, accompanying them to doctor's appointments can be a great way to display support, the NIMH notes.

Using Effexor is one of the most effective drugs to help control depression. It can be purchased at an online pharmacy for a discounted rate.